I'm unsure of the specific law and if anyone could inform me that'd be great: why did we extend the NSA's power for six years, instead of something like two or four? Is it still possible to curtail their increasing power?

Obviously it seems likely that there was peculiarly incriminating evidence contained within that data. It would be interesting to know what type of data those records entailed. If the NSA backs-up/keeps record of phone calls, text messages, emails, etc., does anyone keep a back-up of the NSA? Apparently not.

Some things never change and it seems as much as the public dislikes the NSA (wear your tin foil hats and cover your webcams!!!), they simply provide too much secretive benefit to our government. Although as the NSA continues to become autonomous, we should seek to reign in their grasps before it's too late.

However, it may already be.